Panel sheet turner



July 9, 1957 R. BISHOP PANEL SHEET TURNER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 22, 1954 INVENTI'OR.

Ivan. Roy Bishop Mow 5m BY- warm...

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l. R. BISHOP PANEL SHEET TURNER July 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1954 R m pm, 0N A .W p R m, a W

United Statesv Patent Ofiice 2,798,619 Patented July 9, 1957 PANEL SHEET TURNER Ivan Roy Bishop, Port Angeles, Wash.

Application June 22, 1954, Serial No. 438,386

1 Claim. 01. 214-1 This invention relates to a panel sheet turner, and par ticularly to a device for turning a load of veneer panels so that the panels may be properly assembled for constructing plywood sheets.

In the operation of constructing plywood sheets, it is customary to provide the sheets in relatively large sizes, such as 4 x 8, and these veneer sheets are kiln dried in stacks or loads. The rules of the Plywood Association require that the panels be turned so that a front or face is against a back before gluing. At present, this isdone by hand operation wherein every other sheet in a load of veener is turned over so that a pair of veneer sheets are in back-to-face relation. Because of the relatively fragile nature of the veener sheets, considerable damage is done to the sheets in this hand turning. Further, a great amount of labor is involved in the hand turning, which materially increases the cost of the finished plywood.

In a construction according to the present invention, a machine is provided for turning over an entire load of veener, after which the turned and unturned load of veneer are placed in proximity to each other and a sheet of veneer from one load is placed on a sheet of veneer from the other load and sent to the gluing machines.

In the plywood turning device according to the invention, a base frame is constructed of tubular material, such as 4" piping, and end frames of similar material are placed, with the entire structure being relatively 10 long and a platform approximately 8' long and 4 wide is provided and journaled intermediate the end frames of the device and a H. P. motor is operatively connected to rotate the platform and a load of veneers fastened thereon. A suitable brake is supplied to prevent too rapid motion of the load, particularly at the instant when the entire load is serving to overbalance the device.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved veneer panel turner.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device operable to turn an entire load of veneer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the panel sheet turning device;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken substantially on a plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and showing a. load of panel sheets secured on the platform;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken substantially on a plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the construction and arrangement of the parts of the turner;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 3 and showing the construction and arrangement of a brake for controlling the turning of the platform;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on a plane indicated by the section line 5--5 of Figure 4 and showing the arrangement of the brake controlling device.

In the exemplary embodiment according to the invention, a substantially rectangular frame 10 is provided of a pair of longitudinally extending pipe sections 12 and 14 and a pair of end members 16 and 18. Preferably, these base members are constructed of 4" tubular material secured together in rigid formation by any suitable means, such as welding. A pair of end frames 20 and 22 are substantially identical, and each includes a pair of divergent side members 24 and 26 connected together at the top by a relatively short reach member 28 the side members 24, 26 and the reach member 28 being constructed of substantially 4" tubing. A transverse reach member 30 is provided intermediate the end 28 and the bottom frame 10. The frame member 22 is identical with the frame member 20 having the same side members 24 and 26 and the top. reach member 28, with the intermediate reach member 30. The intermediate reach members 30 are. each provided with a longitudinally extending aperture 36 which may be provided with a suitable hearing, if desired. The apertures 36 in the members 30 being substantially aligned with each other.

A load carrying platform comprises an intermediate elongated rectangular frame 459 having longitudinally extending members 42 and 44 joined together by relatively short end members 46 and 48. The members 42, 44, 46 and 48 preferably being angle irons welded or otherwise secured in rigid relation to each other. A stub shaft 50 extends from one end of the load carrying frame 40 and a stub shaft 52 extends from the other end thereof. The stub shafts 50 and 52 being journaled in the bearing apertures 36 of the reach members 30.

In order to properly support a load of veneer panels on the load carrying member 40, transverse arms 54 and 56 are rigidly secured on the platform member 40 and extend on opposite sides thereof to provide a proper bearing platform for a plurality of sheets of veneer.

In order to retain a load of veneer panels on the platform 40 while it is being rotated, suitable tensioning means, such as chains 58 and 60 are connected to opposite ends of the arm members and connected together by rods 61 having downturned ends 63 and 65 provided with eyes 62 and 64 through which the chains 58 and 60 are passed. The chains 58 and 60 are provided with hooks 66 and 68 for engaging the links of the chains. Suitable tightening means (not shown) are provided in the chains 58 and 60 to take up any slack and properly secure the panels on the rotating platform.

A rotating device for the platform 40 comprises a motor 70 which ismounted on a suitable: transverse member 72 in the frame member 20. The motor 70 is provided with a sprocket wheel 74 and a similar sprocket wheel 76 of different diameter is rigidly fixed on the spur shaft 50 and the sprocket chain 78 is entrained over the sprocket gears 74 and 76 so that the motor 70 is operatively connected in driving relation to the platform 40.

In order to control the rotation of the platform with the load thereon, a brake drum 80 is rigidly fixed on the spur shaft 50 and a brake band 82 is entrained therearound. One end of the brake band 82 is provided with an eye 84 which will be fixed on a shaft 86 journaled in the reach member 30. A bellcrank lever 88 will be journaled on the shaft 86 and will have a spur pin 90 fixed therein in spaced relation from the shaft 86. The opposite end of the brake band 82 will have an eye 92 fixed on the spur pin 90. A handle member 94 will be aflixed on the outer end of the bellcrank 88 so that pressure may be exerted to rotate the pin 90 about the axle 86 and tighten the band .82 into engaging relation with the drum 80.

'ln-theoperation of the-device according to the invention, the load of panels 95 --Will be placed on the load bearing platform 40 by any suitable device, such as a lifting derrick, and the chains and 58 will be linked together by means of a'hook 62and the eye 64 and the chains tightened 'into firm bearing relation with the load of panels. The motor Will then be started to cause rotation of the platform about the stub axles 50and-52 and the brake band 82 Will be tightened on the'drum as the loadofpanels tends-to overbalance and overrun the motor. When the load of'panels 95 has been completely inverted to rest-onthe rods'61,-tl1e chains 58, 60 may be loosened to lower the rods 61and-thestackonto a suitable truck and the chains 58, '60 may then be -unhooked and the load of reversed panels may then be transported into proximity to-a load of unreversed-panels so that the panels may be alternately taken from the diflferent loads to provide the desired gluing of pairs.

For purposes of exemplification, aparticular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described according to the best present understanding thereof. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications maybe made in the construction and arrangement of the parts thereof without departing from the true spiritand scope of the invention. 7

What is claimedasnew is as follows:

A sheet panel turner comprising a base having upstanding end frames-with transverse members therein,

a flat load bearing platform for a stack of panels and having-endstub shafts journaledin saidtransverse members for rotation of the platform into an inverted position to invert the stack, a driving motor operatively connected to one of the stub axles to rotate the plaform, a brake operatively connected to the other stub shaft to control rotation of the platform, straight cross arms fixed on and extending outwardly of said platform to support a stack of flat panels Wider than said platform, straight rods having right angled ends extending across the top of the stack and straddling said top, chains fixed to the ends of the arms to be extended across the sides of the stack, and terminal hook and eye devices on said chair'ls and said right angled ends of the rods for detachably attaching said rods to said chains, said rods supporting the inverted stack and being detachable from the chains for lowering to lower the stack while supported thereon.

' References-Citedtin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 332,838 .Barneset a1. Apr. 13, 1886 504,254 Skaggs Aug. 29, 1893 1,092g034 Freihofer Mar. 31, 1914 1,651,766 Green ..v Dec. 6, 1927 1,779,352 Becker 'Oct. 21, :1930 2,520,252 Mutchler Aug. 29, 1950 

